Family
by CaitlinWalker
Summary: As Annie and Auggie's relationship progresses, the two have to manage a long distance relationship when Annie is sent to Scotland to track down a rogue CIA agent. Meanwhile Joan struggles. FOLLOW-UP TO "SECRETS" SET S4 (Disclaimer: I don't own the show or the characters) ***CURRENTLY ON HIATUS***
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone**

**Just a quick note before this fic gets underway to again say thank you for all your amazing feedback for my last fic, "Secrets". Your reviews meant a lot to me and I want to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read and review. Therefore, "Family" is dedicated to all you awesome peeps out there and I really hope you enjoy the latest in my take on Covert Affairs Season 4 series.**

**Thank you and thank you in advance for reading, and if you so wish, reviewing.**

**Caitlin**

"Morning beautiful."

A girl could get used to that. Even though it was a blind guy complimenting her appearance it was still one of the most wonderful things to wake up to. She rolled over and buried into his side. She grumbled. "Please stop it being from being morning." Morning meant work…and the first day back at Langley since Joan had granted her and Auggie as much time off as they so wished instead of just a week – they'd taken her up on the offer and spent the last three weeks together without the stress of international espionage hanging over them. But still, the free choice of time off? Having a kid must have changed Joan already.

"Now…" His finger stroked her cheek. "I know I'm brilliant in so many ways but I don't think I can stop time. I can try but I can't promise anything."

"Try." She muttered, running a hand up and down his bare chest. "Please try."

"We could always ask Joan for some more time off…she did said go back whenever we felt ready to. I really don't think she'd mind."

Annie sighed. "You really don't know how much I wanna. These three weeks have been perfect."

"They have," Auggie echoed, smiling.

"But as much as I want to just lie here with you, I really don't want to take advantage of Joan. She's been fantastic and I want to give back to her."

"You're a good person Annie Walker."

"Mm…" She looked up to him. "Keep going, Auggie Anderson."

"Oh," he feigned surprise. "You want a list. Well…good person…this is difficult."

She poked his ribs. "Not cool, Auggie. You're lucky that you're adorable enough to get away with that."

"Don't I just know it?" He smirked before he reached over for his watch. He flipped the plastic case, running his index finger over the braille face. "Two minutes past eight…time to get up."

"Make me," she taunted, a smile on her lips.

Auggie had a wicked grin on his face. "Is that a challenge? Because, I like challenges."

# # #

Baby Annie, the perfect little picture of everything that was right in this world, was sound asleep in her cot at the foot of the king size. Her father, on the other hand, had been unaccounted for, since just after seven.

Joan winced with every step she made out of her bed, fighting back a groan as she reached for the hospital issue cane she'd been forced to use. It helped, of course it did, but what would really help her was the little browny-orange tub of pills she'd also been issued with. But Joan Campbell knew better than anyone, that was a slippery slope she didn't want to fall down again.

So what if it took her five minutes to get down the stairs and into the dining room? At least it wasn't that dark place it took ages to get out of.

"Arthur?"

The aforementioned Arthur was quick to snap the lid of his laptop shut as she pushed herself through the doorway, over to him. "Honey, are you ok?"

She wrapped an arm around his shoulders, planting a good morning kiss on his neck. The very small motion of bending over a few centimetres felt as painful as that gunshot was. "You've been up a while. Everything ok?"

"Absolutely dandy," he sneered. "Just some work issues…nothing to worry about, well for you anyway." He took hold of her free hand. "Honey, are you ok?" He repeated with much more emphasis and concern as he sought out a definitive answer.

"Yes," she lied, faking a smile. "But being cooped up in this house all day is starting to make me feel sick." She let go of him, heading to grab a cereal bar or something to deal with the hunger that resided in her surgically repaired stomach.

"You heard what the doctor said," he got up to follow her. "At least six weeks off work. And you've only been home for one."

"I know but I-." She bit down on her lip but the small yelp couldn't be supressed as she tried to reach up to open one of the cabinets. "Damn…" She could feel tears in her eyes.

"Hey…" Arthur wrapped a gentle arm around her, careful of her scars. "Please…" He whispered into her ear. "Please…for me…just take it easy for the next few weeks. I know this is painful for you – in so many ways – but honey? It pains me to see you like this."

Her voice caught, stopping words. Then the tears that had built in her eyes began to pour, her body violently shaking with each sob.

"Hey…hey." He was trying to comfort her like a helpless child.

She felt like a helpless child.

"Arthur…I don't-."

"Like this? Oh, sweetie, believe me I know. I have it on good authority from the lovely nurses that you made cry on a daily basis at that hospital, that you, Joan Campbell, don't like this. And I wouldn't expect any less from you. But what do you want to do? Go back to Langley and act like none of this happened? That's not possible."

She found herself nodding. "I know…I just wish…"

"Tell me about it. But everything's behind us all now, ok? We got through the hard bits together…and we gained a little one along the way."

She reached for her husband's hand and squeezed it, not wanting to let go. A smile found her lips and that smile turned into a laugh she didn't know she had in her. "I-I made the nurses cry?"

"Oh, God yes. You were determined to make their lives hell, weren't you?"

"They were determined to make my life hell, it was only fair. Especially that Wanda…what a self-important little cow, she was."

Arthur nuzzled into her shoulder. "See? That's the Joan I know. That's the Joan I love."

The baby monitor crackled just as Joan found the strength to turn around ready to embrace him. She planted a hand on his chest. "You wanna get that? It took me all that time to get down the stairs, I'm not sure I have it in me to get back up the stairs."

He nodded. "Sure thing, honey."

# # #

The absence of the security rigmarole at Langley had not been missed in her life. It was, at most, a fifteen minute drive from Auggie's place to the CIA headquarters. And it was another fifteen minutes driving through checkpoints and being searched by the same people that searched you and always had a pleasant little chat with you every morning.

It was also unnecessary.

But Annie was just a minion in this whole bureaucratic hellhole. Who was she to complain?

"Something's up," Auggie remarked as the pair entered the bullpen of the DPD, arm in arm. They were making no attempt to hide their relationship but no attempt to flaunt it. Many would simply see the gesture as Annie's norm, to guide the blind guy around the building.

"Yeah…" Annie took a sweeping glance of the room in front of her that was buzzing with energy. People were chattering a little louder than usual, striding across the room with more urgency than usual. "Hey, Barber."

By chance, Eric Barber had entered her eye line and dashed across at the call. "Oh look at you two…really cosy." He winked at them.

Annie rolled her eyes. "And your point being?"

Barber shrugged his shoulders then winked. Eric Barber actually winked at her. "Nothing…but your secret's safe with me."

"Who says it's a secret?" Auggie chimed in.

"Yeah," Annie let go of Auggie's arm to pull him into an embrace. Her chest against his, she planted her lips on his and kept them there until the moment came to a natural conclusion. She smiled then turned to Barber, whose mouth was slightly open. "It's no big secret, Eric. I don't believe in secrets anymore."

"Um…" Barber settled on that sound as a sure fire way to end the conversation. "Yeah, the new boss wants to see you in his office. Pronto."

"New boss?"

"Pronto?" Again, Auggie joined in.

"Yup. Now. And this new boss, i.e. Joan's temporary replacement, is no Joan. And yes, Joan Campbell is often no delight but this guy? Well…at least Joan has a heart."

With that comment and a frightened look in his eyes at the mention of the new head of the DPD, he scurried off to wherever he was headed to before Annie had grabbed him.

"New boss?" Auggie muttered. "Nice of Arthur to inform us, eh?"

"Hm," Annie took Auggie's arm again and set off in the direction of Joan's office, now hijacked by the aforementioned new guy. Joan wouldn't be happy about that invasion of her prized neat and tidy office. "Arthur's got a lot on his plate right now…truth be told, I'm surprised he's even bothering to at least try to keep up appearances here. Others wouldn't. Some wouldn't even want to return."

"You've got a point," Auggie said. "But do you think there is any correlation between this new guy, who if Barber is being honest, sounds like a jerk, and the fact that I'm sensing this place being more alive?"

"I'm sensing a direct correlation," Annie knocked on the shut office door. "And I guess we're gonna find out for ourselves."

A male voice boomed for them to enter and, with slight trepidation, Annie and Auggie entered.

The tall, pencil necked suit held out a hand to the two operatives. "Agent Walker and Anderson, I suspect? I'm Steven Murdoch, the temporary head of the DPD whilst Joan recuperates."

Annie met the stare of the balding, middle aged man as she shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Sir."

"Well…" The sentence started with an uneasy tone. "Would you care to take a seat?"

Annie glanced at Auggie, knowing full well that he'd sense the quick look she shot him. They were both feeling the same but, like the good little minions the CIA required them to be, they took their seats opposite Murdoch, who opted to stand tall over them.

"Let me preface this with the fact that it is a delight to work with two operatives of your calibre. You two have a strong, positive reputation within the agency for getting jobs done. However…"

That was the word, she was waiting for. It was the classic, "we're excited to work with you but there are some things we need to address".

"However," he repeated that word. "That was under your former boss. Temporary or not, my position here, as your new boss, is to ensure standards are met. And those standards are ever increasing as the nation has to constantly deal with new and ever-increasing threats to national security. We need to up our game and I have little doubt that you two are the right people to have to help us achieve that."

"Thank you," Auggie half smiled but Annie knew it was insincere. There was an unspoken air of wariness and there sure as hell was a direct correlation between the spike in productivity in the DPD and Murdoch's arrival. Joan Campbell could scare folk half to death but at least she was a decent person, not just another suit that seemed intent on meeting figures and goals.

"However…" Was that Murdoch's favourite word? "Knuckling down requires two things. Hard work and time. I can't help but notice you two are over two hours late this morning. Hell, it's almost afternoon."

Annie arched a brow. "We were under the impression that we were entitled to however long off we wished. Weeks, days or even hours."

"And this request was authorised by Joan Campbell, yes?"

She smirked, feeling close to victory. "Yes."

"Wrong answer. As I said, things are changing with myself at the helm. You should have given me advanced notice of your returns. That, added to the fact that we have nothing for you at this precise second, pending further orders from above, means that you are essentially useless here. Take the rest of the day off."

Most people would have been overjoyed by the sudden holiday. Annie and Auggie said nothing and stared blankly back at the new DPD head, the distinct feeling of being shafted hanging over them.

"Go home you two. You're wasting precious amounts of oxygen that operatives that show up on time could be using."

Home was the last place they were going. And Langley was the last place that they were staying. Steven Murdoch throwing out two operatives that could easily do something productive wasn't just stupid. It was also his way of throwing his weight around and making a point. Joan may have ruled with an iron fist but she had a heart of pure gold underneath all that armour.

Murdoch's heart was as cold as his iron fist.

Annie and Auggie clearly weren't welcome in the DPD today. But there was one place that they'd always be welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

She took a good few minutes to herself, letting her mind wonder before she killed the engine and got out. Auggie didn't ask why. He didn't even say a word. Perhaps he was feeling the same way too. Perhaps butterflies were beginning to dance in his gut as well.

Annie took Auggie's arm as they walked up the paved pathway together, slowly with synchronised measured steps. Again, in perfect sync, they drew a deep breath before Annie rang the doorbell.

The answer was not immediate and they were both about ready to turn back and head to the car before they heard the scratch of a key turning in a lock and the door flung open.

"Annie?" Joan's eyes widened and her jaw slightly dropped at the unexpected visitor. But her look of surprise was quickly overtaken by something Annie rarely witnessed on Joan's face. A smile. "I wasn't expecting you."

"I'm here too," Auggie quipped.

Joan laughed. "I know you are. Hello Auggie."

"Hello Joan," he replied.

"I'm sorry if it's unannounced. If you're busy, we can just go," Annie said.

"No, no. Not at all, it's a welcome surprise. It's just I thought you were returning to work today."

"I thought that too," Auggie muttered. "We did…only to be kicked out on our asses by your replacement."

"Yeah…Arthur told me that the higher-ups went above his head and hired that, for lack of a better word, jerk Murdoch." Joan shook her head and for the first time, Annie noticed the cane that Joan was heavily leaning on. "You want to come in? Arthur's away tending to "business" as he so bluntly put it, so it'll just be us."

Annie politely said nodded and said yes and Joan gestured for the two to enter. Joan lagged behind; taking care to lock the door, leaving Annie to lead Auggie into the Campbell's impressive residence and, admittedly a house Annie was not familiar with. She guessed that the sprawling room with the two chocolate leather sofas and fifty inch TV with an extensive DVD library that Annie doubted time allowed Joan and Arthur to watch, was the living room.

Then her eyes, led by the faintest of cries, fell on the crib to the side of one of the sofas. Annie held a hand to her mouth as leaned over and saw the baby girl.

"She's beautiful isn't she?" Joan's voice became louder as she entered the room, coming to a stop beside Annie.

"She looks a lot like you," Annie said.

"Be thankful that she doesn't look like Arthur," Auggie remarked and Joan, thankfully saw the funny side joining in too. "She got a name?"

"Yes…" Joan smiled. "Little Annie."

"Annie?" Annie turned to Joan, a lump suddenly making an appearance in her throat. "You named her after me?"

"Annie…you and Auggie…I owe my life to you and I owe her life to you. You two went above and beyond for me. Ignore all that crap about putting your life on the line for your country because you," she took a hold of Annie's hand. "You put your life on the line for me and my baby. No one could ever have asked that of you."

"I couldn't just stand there…"

"No. You could have and nobody would have thought any different of you. But Annie…when I was…when I was staring down the barrel of that…that-." Joan made a sudden movement, like a shiver as the words failed her. The shiver was followed by a wince and Joan instinctively placed a hand over where the bullet hit her, clutching it as she fought off an acknowledgement of pain.

"Joan, are you-."

Joan cut her off by reaching over to Annie, wrapping her arms around her. No words were uttered but Joan's rare display of emotion said more than words could ever. Annie returned the hug, grateful that the woman she most looked up to, was still there to hold.

The hug itself lasted a good few seconds, but a hug from Joan Campbell lasted an entirety. When she pulled back, tears glistened in her eyes and her voice was painfully raw. "Thank you Annie." She touched Auggie's arm. "And thank you, Auggie."

Annie smiled as she continued to look back at her mentor, the woman who'd taught her so much more than the ins and outs of being a woman in the CIA. Joan Campbell was the woman who taught her more than what any textbook could. Somehow, in some way it would have been Joan Campbell that would have taught Annie to completely disregard her own safety and throw herself at Joan.

"So," Joan slowly lowered herself down on the couch. "You're staring at my daughter like you want to steal her. You can hold her if you want."

"I-I…"

"You can hold her, Annie. Auggie can too. Who knows? Perhaps it might make you want to have one of your own."

# # #

Arthur made sure he slammed the door behind him as he stormed into the office. "What the hell is this I'm hearing?"

Steven Murdoch barely flinched. "It's polite to knock, you know."

Arthur folded his arms across his chest. "You shut your damn mouth and forget about manners. I've just received word that Walker and Anderson were sent home this morning. Care to explain?"

Murdoch shrugged. "That was my decision and I'm their boss. End of the story."

"You watch your mouth there, pal. I'm your boss, end of story. But yet, I receive a call from my wife, whom you are stepping in for, that two of our best agents were kicked out of here this morning. The hell are you playing at?"

"My job. And it's none of your wife's concern."

"I beg your pardon?" Arthur's eyes narrowed at the mention of Joan. He'd got a call a half hour ago from her in her attempt to look out for the two agents that had looked out for her. He slammed a fist on the desk. "It is her concern because it is my concern, understand? Don't try this again or I'll personally throw you out on your ass." He turned to leave.

"Hey, there was shit all for them to do here and I was under the impression that the higher-ups had first dibs on them."

He made a half turn to face Murdoch. "That's right…I do want first dibs on them. They're both getting commended for their actions and they're both receiving the Intelligence Star. They're damn heroes and you're tossing them out on their ear. So get a damn grip, OK?"

And with that completely real threat, Arthur made a sharp exit. The call from Joan now had him running late for his meeting with his lawyer. He'd break all the speed limits in his way. He couldn't miss that meeting.

# # #

"Auggie can I ask you something?" Annie called as she emerged from the kitchen carrying a bowl of chips and a bowl of popcorn for their impromptu movie marathon. It was one of those things she loved about her Auggie Anderson. He could tolerate hours of listening to cheesy click-flicks as he found great enjoyment out of being her glorified pillow to snuggle on. They'd arrived home from Joan's a good few hours ago, yet still Annie still couldn't shake what lingered in her mind.

"I'm all ears," he said as he patted down the seat cushion next to him.

Annie placed the bowls down on the coffee table. "Did you think Joan seemed…different?"

Auggie frowned. "After all that she's been through, including having a kid, I don't blame her. But, maybe, this is what motherhood does to big, scary women. Even Joan Campbell isn't immune."

"Yeah, suppose so," she muttered. That wasn't the point she was thinking of but it was a very good point. Joan had been through a lot. A hell of a lot. Maybe that was it. But it still did little to settle her mind. Her mind that had been very active since that day in the warehouse and Annie would be lying if she said that seeing her boss again wasn't a huge relief.

"Now…Walker." Auggie found her with his arm and pulled her to him. "We've got another day off and you're worrying about a woman whose been known to make grown men cry – and for once that is the truth, not some overused cliché. She can look after herself and pretty darn well too. Just at least try to stop worrying."

Annie sighed. He did have a point though. "Fine."

"And I hope you didn't listen to a word she said today, either."

She looked up at him. "About what?"

"Babies. No babies today…deal?"

Annie smiled. "Deal. Another day, perhaps?"

He smirked. "Perhaps."

# # #

A trembling hand wiped away a single tear from her left cheek.

Rocking herself back and forth, clutching her knees to her chest, hurt like hell, the recently healed wound still burning.

Baby Annie was crying. Wailing. The poor thing was hungry, and it'd been five minutes since Joan had made it to the kitchen to fix up a bottle. The cane had slipped from her hand as she turned on a tap, the metal stick clanging off the linoleum.

Every instinct in her body drove her to the ground at that sound, seeking shelter and protection. With each passing second the cries intensified and Joan felt helpless, simply watching evening shadows creep into the house.

The sound of a key scratching in the lock, brought her back to the room and back to reality. She made it back to her feet before her husband came in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She passed the bottle to Arthur before she called it a night.

Her legs were still shaking as she crawled into bed.


	3. Chapter 3

The sense of déjà vu was not lost on him or Annie as they again stepped foot back in the DPD. The louder than normal drone of work coupled with a strange new smell of some sort of air freshener greeted them as they took their usual route through the bullpen.

Boy, oh boy, would Joan not approve of that overwhelming stink of strawberries.

Annie nudged Auggie in the ribs. "Murdoch coming at us in five, four…" She whispered.

It was not needed. "Walker, Anderson. Get your asses in my office." Steven Murdoch did not just have an obnoxiously loud voice – he had an obnoxious voice in general.

Annie sighed and led Auggie over to the office. This time Auggie noted a slightly different route, veering to the right more than usual and he wondered just how far the temporary head of the DPD had went to put his stamp on things.

The door was, again, slammed shut behind them and Auggie was already bracing for another round of verbal abuse, and was beginning to map out another day at home with the woman he loved.

But the sense of déjà vu faded just as quickly as it had hit him. "Annie…Auggie, I may call you by your first names, right?" He waited for an answer that he did not receive. "Look, we got off on the wrong foot yesterday. I was in a position in which I did not know that full situation caused by a slight breakdown in communications. Ultimately that led to me getting the wrong end of the stick and caused me to send you home, a move that in retrospect was not the best overall. Forget yesterday –you got another day off because of it – and let's start afresh, shall we?"

Annie was quick to jump in with a half-hearted "sure" but Auggie was not as sure – not even the fake sense of "sure" that Annie claimed to be. Instead he noted how Murdoch had just went and blamed everyone bar himself in his little speech. Classy.

"As I may or may not have said in passing, the top brass want a word with you at some point and I'm led to believe, that Arthur Campbell does in particular. That's probably not a surprise, huh?" He spat that sentence out in a way you'd been forgiven for thinking Arthur wanted to see them to thank them for saving a cat rather than his wife and child. "Word is, you're the hotshots around here, eh?"

Murdoch must have been one of those spiteful children who claim their exsistance is ruined by another sibling coming in and stealing their thunder. But Annie seemed content to play along with the jerk's little game of self-importance. "I'm going take that as a compliament, right Auggie?"

"Right, Annie."

Murdoch slapped his hands together with such force, Auggie felt a cool gust on his face. "Right, that's settled. We can finally get some work done around here." He tossed a folder onto Auggie's lap.

Instinctively Auggie went to run his fingers over the top right corner. He shouldn't have been at all surprised to find that Steven Murdoch's one track mind didn't bother to realise a blind guy couldn't read. "Um…little help? Blind guy here."

Murdoch sighed. "Why don't I just tell you myself?"

# # # # #

"This doesn't feel right," Annie muttered as she strode through the DPD, bypassing her desk. Auggie was struggling to keep up, holding onto her arm for dear life. Annie wished he'd keep up. She felt sorry that she was leading him like a helpless puppy, pulling him along but she didn't want to waste any time.

"Annie…think this through." Auggie called.

She shook her head and pushed open the glass double doors. "I have. But I," she stopped to allow him to catch up before blurted out her opinons in a place where the walls could very well have ears. "I don't like this guy…I don't trust him. After what's happened…to us and people we care about…I'm not going to be quick to trust ever again. But we need advice or at least some insight because you can not tell me that you are at all happy with our "assingment"" She added the air quotes with her fingers.

"I'm not. Not at all. But…wait," he caught her arm before she sped off to the elevator. "Are you sure that this is the right decision?"

"Auggie, he wants us to help Henry Wilcox. If Wilcox reached out to the agency, Arthur would know about it. After that bastard's involvement in that mess last month, I think Arthur would want to know about it anyway."

Auggie nodded. "Fine. Just don't abandon me here."

Annie smiled and tugged on his arm. "Why would I do that? Whether people like it or not, we're a team now. Hey, we're Walkerson, remember?"

"I suppose when you put it like that." He bounced on the pads of his feet. "We better get a move on, shouldn't we?"

Today was one of the rare occasions in which Arthur was actually in. The poor guy had been struggling to juggle being one of the top ranking officials in the CIA, a newborn baby and a wife who had been to hell and back. People could easily forgive him for his absences over the past few weeks. Annie and Auggie didn't even have to knock, the DCS's personal assistant saw them and ushered them in.

"Annie, Auggie," Arthur smiled before he came over to eagerly shake their hands. "It's great to see you. It's been a long time."

"Tell me about it…we would have been here yesterday but, well…" Auggie began.

"The small matter that Steven Murdoch is one gigantic pain in the backside? Yeah, I know. Believe me when I say I did not have a say in his appointment. And you can also believe me when I say that I gave him what's what about his actions in sending you two home yesterday. Unprofessional and reckless."

"Tell me about it," Annie took a seat at Arthur's offer. "But, on the plus side, we did get to see the two ladies in your life."

The look on Arthur Campbell's face was pure and unadulterated pride. "I heard about that too. Joan really appreciates it, although we both know how stubborn she can be in admitting it."

Annie was tempted to say how Joan in no certain terms did admit it without saying a word but it was probably kept that moment of vulnerability to herself. "I understand," she lied. "Look, sir, this can just stay between ourselves but we've got, um…we're not entirely behind our assignment from Murdoch."

Arthur took his seat on the other side of the desk. "I'm listening, go on."

Auggie beat Annie before she could say it. "He wants us to protect Henry Wilcox."

Arthur's forehead crumpled. "He wants you to protect Henry Wilcox? He's issued you with that assignment?"

"Yeah, we both thought it was a little odd, since Wilcox's position and reputation within Langley," Auggie continued. "Apparantly he's reached out to us, fearing for his life. Can you shed any light on this?"

Arthur sat back in his chair, the frown not leaving his face. "That son of a bitch asked for our help because someone is out for him? Did he ask Murdoch directly because I've heard absolutely nothing about this."

"I'm not sure," Annie muttered. "But I'm not comfortable protecting him given what he has done. And should the agency really be helping a man convicted of treason?"

Arthur sighed as he shook his head. "Not at all. Listen guys, you let me deal with this and deal with Murdoch. I can pull some strings here and see what I can do for you. Personally, I want to cut Wilcox loose and feed him to the dogs that are after his blood. I'm pretty sure the Ethics department will have a completely different stance on that."

"Thank you, sir." Annie stood to rise.

"C'mon Annie. After what you've done for me and my family, you really don't have to call me sir. I mean, I like it, but it's not really necessary."

"Thank you, Arthur."

"Better. You two at least go and make yourselves look busy whilst I see what I can do for you. Oh and guys?" He managed to stop them before they headed out of the door. "Will I be able to steal a few hours of your time tomorrow afternoon? There's a small meeting either in here or in one of the conference rooms that I really need you both to attend. Two o'clock. I'll forward you the address tomorrow."

They exchanged goodbyes and he patted each of them on the shoulder as they left his office. He waited a few seconds to safely see them make their way down the long, narrow corridor before he shut the door and walked over to his desk. He flung open the top drawer and pulled out the letter that had come through his own letterbox two days ago.

"_Protect me to protect them. You'll regret trying to take me down."_

Somewhere, Ben Mercer, on Arthur's very strict orders was out to gun down Henry Wilcox. Only this was the first piece of definitive evidence that proved Wilcox was wise. Mercer was sharp and known to get a job done and most of all he owed Arthur big time for ignoring the attempt on Joan and baby Annie's life. But it was never as clear cut. Wilcox had people protecting him and now the egotistical prick was using Arthur's one weakness to attack him.

Joan and his daughter.

Arthur sighed, rubbed his temples and glanced at the framed photos on his desk. One of his wedding day, one of him and his wife and the latest one, taken less than ten days ago – him, Joan and baby Annie. A family. The family he always wanted.

The family he'd do anything for.

The family he was going to do anything for.

Everything was in order, all he had to do was pick up that phone and arrange proceedings. The last ten minutes had changed things. It had changed everything, cementing the fact that there was risks he was not willing to take anymore.

He picked up that phone and got ready to make a sacrifice that would have been alien to him this time last year.


	4. Chapter 4

His hands were trembling as he struggled with his tie. Today was a big day. Today was going to change everything.

"You're doing it all wrong."

Arthur looked over his shoulder at his wife who had somehow sneaked into the bedroom. "Doing what wrong, honey?"

"Your tie." She slowly eased her way over to him, stopping between him and the mirror. She'd given up using the cane today. Her own idea and one he sure as hell would not have recommended. But she was too headstrong to listen to the ideas of others. It strangely pleased him. Yes, it was hurting him to see her hurting due to her reluctance to follow strict doctor's orders. But it was Joan. That strong, independent woman that he was both equally as fond and scared of, was still there. And he was seeing more and more of her these days. "God, Arthur. How many ties have you tied in your lifetime?"

He sighed, letting her take over. "Too many." He laughed as she shook her head like an impatient mother at him. "Way too many. Thanks honey."

She patted his chest as she finished the task. "So when are we leaving?"

"Um, in just under an-." He stopped himself from checking his watch. "Wait, "we"?"

"Yeah, I just thought what with this being a big day for you, for us-."

"Honey…" He gently took hold of her shoulders. "I really don't think that this is a good idea. You were shot just three weeks ago. You've only been out of the hospital for a week-."

"And I've been cooped up in here for it. It's not healthy, Arthur. The sight of these walls…it feels like a damn prison now." She rested a hand on his cheek. "I know that you're worried about me…if you were in my position I'd be worried sick for you. But if you were in my position, you'd know how this would be healthy for me."

He ran his eyes up and down her. "If you want me to give you my blessing, I'm not going to."

"I don't blame you."

"But, I know that, regardless of what I think, my beautiful, sweet wife won't agree with me. You're not asking me. You're telling me, aren't you?"

She smiled. "Did you really expect any less?"

"No. But, at least give me an honest answer here. How are you?"

Her smile faded a little. "A little sore…but that's to be expected. I'm not tired and I feel comfortable walking. I'm up to this."

"Well, that's OK then." He still wasn't fully convinced but he knew better than to push her. "But, promise me that the second you don't feel like you're up to it, you feel tired or in pain or whatever. The second that happens, you tell me. I don't care if I'm in the middle of my speech or I haven't even begun it, I want to know. Deal?"

"Deal," she turned to leave but all of a sudden let out an excited yelp – a noise that Joan Campbell rarely made. "You know what today is…besides, you know, on a professional level?"

He frowned. "No, what?"

"Baby Annie's first real outing." The look of unadulterated joy on her face was contagious. And it warmed his heart. That was the happiest she looked in weeks.

"Yes…sort of ironic though. It seems like its one in and one out at Langley."

# # #

"Walker, can I have a moment?" Murdoch had showed up at her desk, his approach so silent, she never heard him coming.

She didn't just look up from her stack of paperwork. She jumped. "Yes, of course." She was hoping that Arthur had made some progress on this whole being Henry Wilcox's bodyguard nonsense. She didn't want to protect a man who was the catalyst in a series of events that hurt those around her. "Will it take long? Arthur wanted me to attend a meeting in the Oval Suite in a few minutes."

"Not at all. I just wanted to give you the heads up on your assignment. As per agency protocol, we've been liaising with Henry Wilcox and we believe that there is a significant threat to his well-being. We believe it could be a threat radiating from the agency."

"One of us?" Why was it that Wilcox always had to make things difficult? Why were things never simple with that son of a bitch? "Someone amongst us?"

Murdoch shook his head and perched himself on the end of Annie's desk. "We can't be so sure. It may be a rogue agent, someone who's turned dark. We don't know for definite at this stage but Wilcox's evidence is enough to prompt us to make a move."

Annie's forehead crumpled and the pen she was holding fell from her hand. Shit…they were really making her do this? Shows that all the agency cares about is avoiding bad press. Ignore the fact that the man in question nearly claimed the lives of some of their own. "So, that's it? We're gonna protect him now?" She toned down the anger in her voice but it was still pretty obvious that she was pissed.

But either Steven Murdoch was too stupid to notice it or didn't care. "Yes. We're having to fast track this as a priority assignment. These," he dropped a manila folder onto her desk. "Are your travel arrangements. Henry has important business in Scotland for the next week. He's requested our help. In particular, he has requested you."

"Me?" Annie looked down at the folder. God, that didn't sound good. She hoped to god that that she wasn't going to have to hold that baby's hand everywhere. "Sir, shouldn't we have liaised with the guys across the pond? See if they could sort something out for him?"

Murdoch folded his arms. "We gave them a heads up of your presence. But with Wilcox's reputation and the short notice? They wouldn't take this chance. You're on your own, Walker."

She nodded as he snuck off back to his office. She let the notion of her trip to Scotland weigh on her mind for a few seconds before she snapped herself back into the real world. It was nearly two and she had somewhere to be.

# # #

"I want to thank you all for coming here," Arthur stood at a makeshift podium in the Oval Suite as he addressed his small audience made up of around fifteen people, most either on par with or higher than his security level. Then there was Auggie and Annie and his wife cradling his daughter as she sat in a chair right next to those two operatives. He had no notes in front of him. He knew what he wanted to say off by heart. "Those in this room are the only ones that know and will know about the full events of the last month. It was unfortunate that secrets got us into this whole mess and I apologise that this must be the biggest secret of them all."

Annie looked at Auggie. He was being too quiet for her liking, his hands grasped so tightly around the top of his cane, his knuckles whitened. Something was up but he was apparently not going to divulge.

"This period of time has been the most difficult for myself and my family. You all know the reasons why and you can forgive me for not wanting to touch more on this subject. I will say one thing though. The impact of the effect has been the deciding factor behind my other announcement here today. However, I digress. Today is really about two of this agency's finest operatives that I am delighted to welcome here today. Agents Annie Walker and August Anderson."

Annie awkwardly bit down on her lip, forcing a smile as the attention of the room turned on her and Auggie. Truth be told, she was sorta expecting a reception like this at some point. Just not now. And it still didn't make this any less awkward.

"They delivered the goods when it mattered the most. But most importantly, they deliver the goods on a consistent basis. And for that alone, I'd like to inform you that they will be both receiving the Intelligence Star at a later date for their tremendous service to this agency, your peers and your country."

Annie felt her jaw slightly gape. The Intelligence Star was one heck of an honour. And all she felt she did was what anyone would do when a maniac pointed a gun at a friend. But no. It went much deeper than that. Arthur's face told her that.

She looked at Auggie and Joan in turn. The first was smiling too, reaching for her hand which she let him take. But there was still some sort of grievance marring his joy. Looking at the latter, she saw the look of a proud and grateful woman.

You know what? Annie felt like she could finally accept the plaudits, never mind an award she couldn't take out of the building. She was finally repairing that relationship that she had carelessly wrecked a year ago with silly and stupid business with Lena Smith.

In fact, that should be her award.

"Moving onto other business. My secondary reason for calling you all here today." Arthur took a pause as he glanced over at his wife and his baby. A smile crossed his lips. "I'm here to inform you of my decision, immediate as of tomorrow, to step down from my post as Director of Clandestine Services for personal reasons. It is a decision that I make with a heavy heart but the past few weeks have opened my eyes. My family is important. It's much more important on a personal level than the job. I have to put them first."

# # #

"Hey Auggie…" Annie wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged his back. The room was beginning to disperse and she was just back from a lovely little chat with Arthur and his adorable daughter. She was trying to play it light with her boyfriend as she looked to get to the root of the thing that was eating away at him.

"Hey you," he muttered, gently shoving her off. That was odd.

"Right OK, mister. I'm going to spit it out. What the hell is your deal? We've just been commended for a major achievement within the agency and you're still in a mood from earlier. What's up?"

"Nothing," he muttered as he sipped from a plastic cup.

"Right," she poked his chest with a finger and he flinched. She felt a tad sorry for doing that to a blind guy who just dripped water down his shirt. "Spill the beans, please. You're worrying me. Is it something to do with me?"

"Yes…well no…sorta."

"Auggie…" Darn. Did she move something around his apartment again? She always made an effort not to but it was difficult to remember all the time. "Please tell me."

"Well," he shook his head. "There's no easy way to say this but you know Steven Murdoch? Yeah, he's a giant dick, that's what."

She scoffed. "Please, tell me something I didn't know."

"Right, sorry. I will. Did you know he's removed me as your handler? There."

"What?"

"Yeah. He's no Campbell. He doesn't approve of inter-agency dating and he feels like our relationship could "complicate" us working together. That means when you go to fly off to Scotland tomorrow, I'm not allowed to talk to you."

Annie felt anger beginning to flow through her system. She was also beginning to realise that with Arthur's sudden departure, she was running out of definite allies she could count on in the agency. "The hell? But we can still call each other…it's not for long."

"But still," Auggie sighed. "It's not the same."

"I know," Annie muttered as she scanned the room. "You know what? Joan might be able to give us some leverage on this…have you seen her recently?" Damn it. "Sorry. But you know what I mean."

Auggie half-laughed. "I was talking to her about ten minutes ago. She said she had to run off to the little girls' room."

"OK, thanks," Annie gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before dashing out of the room. Again, that worry about her boss was starting to rise. To be fair, she was surprised at how well Joan was doing. Coming out to this meeting to support her husband was a big accomplishment given her circumstances. But her sudden disappearance was a little strange.

However, it took little effort to find her in where she was said to be.

"Hey, Joan." Annie smiled as she entered the ladies room. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Joan's red looking eyes. "Hey…are you alright?"

Annie reached out to touch Joan's arm. But in the quickest of milliseconds of Annie's hand brushing the woman's arm, Joan reacted. Pulled away. Countered.

Caught totally off guard, the impact of Joan's backhand to Annie's face, toppled her and sent her crashing to the cold, tiled floor. Annie's head hit hard against the ground and it took her a few seconds to gather her bearings. Her temple throbbed as she squinted up at Joan, the look of terror in her mentor's eyes disappearing in a blink.

She looked confused. Lost. Sorry.

"Annie?" Her voice was barely a whisper. "Shit…what…what?" She went to bend over to tend to Annie but she immediately clutched at her stomach at the effort, doubling over and letting out a cry.

"Joan," Annie scrambled to her feet, still dazed as she crawled over. "Joan? You OK? Hey…you want me to get you some help? Arthur?"

"No!" Another pained cry and she grasped Annie's arm. "Shit…shit…shit."

Annie steadied her with an arm around her waist. "You need help…you're in pain." She didn't care about what had just happened. She needed to make sure her mentor was OK.

"Please…don't." She clenched her fists. "Can you help…help me up?"

"Sure," Annie did and it was a struggle. It took a good few minutes to get Joan up and steady on her feet. Annie could speak for them both when she was thankful that the bathroom was empty. "Joan…"

"I'm sorry, Annie." Again that frightened look, something that didn't belong on Joan Campbell's face returned. She wiped away tears with the back of her hand. "I-I need to go. Home."

Annie simply watched that shadow of the woman she knew, slowly limp her way out of the bathroom.

Annie felt as scared as Joan did.


	5. Chapter 5

Stalking your prey wasn't the easiest thing to do when you were blind. Yet Auggie found his girl with ease. "You packing?" He asked, leaning up against the doorframe of the doorway that led into his bedroom. Actually, although it was not official by any means, it was more like their bedroom nowadays.

"Yeah," she muttered, one of the few words she had said since he had broken the news to her that they were no longer allowed to work together. She had never said whether she had found Joan or not, in her attempt to try to force the issue of reinstating him as her handler, but her ignorance of this made him think that she hadn't. Or maybe this silent treatment was a little payback at him for his own reaction to the news.

"How long did they say this trip was for?" This was another reason why he hated this move. He knew nothing.

"Wilcox is gonna be in Edinburgh for a week. So, in theory, a week. I'm packing for two, just in case." Something heavy hit the floor.

"Got enough in that suitcase?" He asked, assuming and knowing inside that his guess was correct.

"Probably not. It's gonna take me a lot more than this to survive through a week of babysitting that slimy bastard."

He slowly edged his way into the room, wary that Annie had turned the room into an obstacle course like she always did when she packed. "You could always say that you don't want this mission. Murdoch's a jerk but he's not stupid. If an operative doesn't want to do something he can't force you to. He has to watch his own back after all and wouldn't want there to be the chance you'll slack off on purpose."

"I wish it was that simple, Auggie." He smelt her perfume as she came near to him. Cherries. Wait, wasn't that her shampoo? Maybe it was both. "But Henry asked for me specifically. This is personal and add that to the fact that I'm going to be separated from you? That sucks."

"Tell me about it." He felt his way to the edge of the bed and sat down on it. "You don't trust Henry one bit do you?"

"Not at all. Not after the can of worms he opened up the last time."

"Yeah, I get that. What I mean is, do you trust his "evidence" of a threat to him? You really think he's not just playing the agency for sick thrills?"

"I don't know," she sighed. Auggie felt her weight on him as she sat on his knee. "He played us pretty good the last time. And look what happened."

He rested his head on her shoulder. "Watch yourself around him, Annie."

"I will, don't worry."

"Good because I need someone to moan to when you get back about what an ass Murdoch is," he muttered. "I seriously can't wait for Joan to get back. I get it…she's had a kid and has been through a lot and I wish her nothing but the very best to get back to a hundred per cent…but I'm sorry. I can't stand this guy one bit."

"Me neither."

"Did you find Joan anyway? You kinda left me hanging on that one. Please tell me you did because I need some slither of hope that I can get my position back."

Annie paused before she answered. "Yeah, I found her."

"And…?"

"You're right. She needs time to recover and I didn't want to bring it up. Now," Annie was keen to change the subject. "I'm leaving the country in less than twelve hours' time. My bags are packed; I've got all my papers looked out. I've done everything that needs to be done, except one thing."

"And what's that?" He heard her sigh and pictured how she was probably rolling her eyes at his slowness. "Oh…gotcha."

# # #

Baby Annie was crying. Wailing. The sound of it broke Joan's heart for a number of reasons.

Arthur volunteered to go upstairs and see why their little sweetheart was crying. Ever prepared, he even fixed up a bottle just in case before he set off. He was the perfect father. This was his first real chance at being a dad and he was already the sort of dad that would ban his daughter from dating until she was eighteen, carry out extensive background checks on future boyfriends and their families and he'd be the proud father tearing up as he walked his daughter down the aisle.

His voice drifted down from upstairs as he sung a lullaby. Joan knew that he was rocking his girl in his arms, whilst the baby either slowly drifted off to sleep or her face lit up. It was always one of the two and it was the most adorable and heart-warming thing she had ever witnessed.

But tonight, Joan hated herself for not smiling as she usually did at the thought. She hadn't smiled since she got home, which was immediately after that, whatever the hell it was, with Annie. She feigned fatigue and Arthur was quick to whisk her off home. He brought her blankets and insisted she'd try to nap on the couch while he made himself useful looking after the baby or making her something light to eat.

She didn't deserve Arthur, she really didn't.

She wasn't tired. Not at all. She lay on the couch, her eyes closed, wishing just wishing that sleep would overcome her and take her out of her own mind. No such luck. How on earth could she sleep after what she had done?

_What had she done?_

She remembered every moment of what happened in the bathroom with Annie, in perfect detail. How she was already crying before the young operative entered the room. How Annie's voice was laced with genuine concern as she tried to reach out. How her own hand and arm moved instinctively to defend herself from a worried friend.

_That…that was her. But it didn't feel like her._

All Annie was trying to do was look out for her. Annie had always looked out for her. There were a few blips in the course of their relationship but Annie Walker? Annie Walker had always had her back. She had put her body on the line to save Joan's and her baby's.

_Then why, in that moment, did she feel so damn scared? Scared of her?_

Joan pushed herself up off the sofa and padded over to get her phone. She scrolled through her contacts and found the number she wanted. It went to voicemail.

"_Annie? It's…Joan. Arthur told me you were flying out tomorrow and I…can you call me when you get this? I-I…I need a friend, Annie."_

# # #

For a CIA spy, she should have really mastered the art of sneaking around. But it was always a tough gig when your boyfriend was a light sleeper and had increased senses due to his lack of one. "Please tell me, you're not sneaking off at this time of the morning again?" He mumbled into a pillow.

Annie crawled over the bed and kissed the top of his head. "And good morning to you, sleepy head."

"Annie…I don't need to be able to see to know that this is stupid o'clock. Get back to bed."

"Right, first of all, "stupid o'clock" is only half six and second of all? I'm already dressed."

"Good," a grin crossed his lips. "That means I get the pleasure of putting that one right again."

Boy, was Auggie lucky that he was cute when he said things like that. "Auggie, I'm sorry. I've got to go. Now. I was gonna wake you up…but you looked so damn peaceful and adorable, I didn't want to."

"Nice. You were just going to abandon me, right?"

She laughed. "Right."

"Wait, if it's half six, I thought your flight didn't leave until nine. I know you like your punctuality but…even that's a bit too far."

"You're right. My flight is not until nine. Doesn't mean I'm going to the airport, does it?"

"Then where are you going?"

Annie bit down on her lip. So much for no more secrets. But at the same time, when she received that voicemail from Joan late last evening – that message that sounded like the famously independent Joan Campbell reaching out for help – what was Annie supposed to do? Ignore it? No. She couldn't. Even after what happened between them. And that was private. Between them. Joan's vulnerability was not something that had to be shared, even if Annie had promised to be open with the man she loved. "Look, Auggie. You trust me so trust when I say that I'm meeting with a friend."

"The last time this happened, it was Henry Wilcox, right? Are you two besties meeting up for a coffee before your flight?" Auggie smirked.

She playfully hit him in the back. "First of all, it's bad enough that you have to remind me that I've got to spend many hours in a confined space with that man. Second of all…just no."

"Well, who are you meeting? And please don't let it be another shady figure that'll kick-start something bad again."

"It's not and, I know we decided on having no secrets, but this? When the time is right…if the time is ever right, I'll tell you. But I'm meeting a friend, who you know and also trust, who needs my help, OK? I really can't say any more than that. They need me and I've got to be there for them."

"Can't really argue with that," Auggie said, finally rolling over onto his back. "You're such a good person, Walker. Another reason why I love you."

She planted a kiss on his lips. "I love you too but I've got to go. Don't murder Murdoch in my absence please?" She grabbed her suitcase and her holdall as she headed to the door.

"I'm not making any promises on that one, Walker," Auggie called back.

# # #

Joan heard the familiar clack of heels drawing closer and closer up the driveway to meet her. The little red car was pulled up by the kerbside. "Hello, Annie."

Annie sat down on the patio beside her. "You warm enough? You don't want to go inside?"

Joan shook her head. "No, thank you. I don't want to wake the family up." She smiled, and she gave the faintest of laughs. "Family…it feels weird to say that these days."

"Tell me about it. It feels weird to say that I have a steady boyfriend now."

Joan stared forward, staring at the grass that Arthur had mowed the other day. "You'll get used to it. In a few years' time, it'll be husband. That's a whole new level of strangeness. Even if they're the greatest thing that ever happens to walk into your life…it still feels odd. Like you don't really deserve them at times." Finally she looked at her guest. "I know this was short notice but thank you for coming, Annie. I really needed to get a lot of things off my mind."

A heavy silence was broken by Annie. "Joan, you don't have to explain…"

"Good. Because I can't." She sighed, "I really can't."

"That…" Annie began. "That was not you. That was not Joan Campbell."

"No," she took a deep breath. "That was me, Annie. I-I hit you…I hurt you. And that was me…that's the person I'm becoming. How are you anyway?"

"I'm good. It's nothing I can't hide." Annie's hand hovered as she seemed to debate placing a reassuring hand on Joan's back. She decided against the idea. "That was not you, Joan. You would never do that."

"I thought so too. But what I felt yesterday? What I've been feeling? That's been real. It's so clear. How can that not be me?"

"What have you been feeling?"

Again, Joan averted her gaze. "What have I been feeling? Well, what haven't I been feeling? My head is all over the place right now…"

There was hesitancy in Annie's voice. "What were you feeling yesterday…when you, when you hit me?"

"Scared," the word came out like a whisper. "I was scared."

The words hung in the air for a few minutes, neither woman saying anymore. Again, it came down to Annie to say something. "How long has this been going on? Since the shooting?"

Joan meekly nodded.

"Joan, you've no idea how much you've done by just reaching out. Admitting it. But I'm no expert here. You need to talk to someone who can really help you. I'm always here for you, always at the other end of a phone but…I don't know. I'm not just the only one you need to speak to."

Joan continued to stare at the ground.

"I know what's it's like to get shot. I know how you spend the next couple of weeks looking over your shoulder, feeling crosshairs burn onto your back. I know how you can remember feeling the life leave your body…I know. But I know that everyone has a different experience. I got over mine by killing Lena. You need to either find closure or find help. Did they not offer you help when you were in hospital?"

Joan frowned. "They did…I thought nothing of it. I still do. I'm not crazy; I don't need to see some sort of head doctor. I just need this….this ever impending sense of doom to stop."

Annie mustered up the courage to place a hand on Joan's arm and this time, there was no counter reaction. "Joan, it sounds like you've got PTSD."

"It sounds like they'd make up any crazy abbreviations to dose me up on pills again. That boat sailed a long time ago…hell, I'm not taking those pain meds they subscribed for that very reason. That's a slippery slope, I can't fall down again."

"And what do you think that what you're feeling is? Isn't that just another slope?" Annie quickly glanced at her watch. "Joan, please if you can't go to a shrink, speak to Arthur or go to a regular doctor. Don't suffer in silence."

Joan squinted up at the clear blue sky. "I don't want Arthur to see me like this."

"Then get some help. For him. And your daughter."

"Yeah, I do that and then what? They diagnose me as a nut job and they take away my beautiful baby. Annie, that can't happen. She's…she's everything. She's all I've ever wanted." Tears were building in her eyes.

"That won't happen, Joan. I promise." Annie sighed, hoping her words would be enough. "I've gotta go and catch my flight."

She brushed her tears away. "Yeah, I heard. You're protecting that windbag, Wilcox, aren't you? That'll be fun."

"Right?" Annie stood up and Joan did too. Again, much to Annie's surprise, Joan pulled her in for a hug. "Phone me, if you need me, OK? And please…talk to someone, OK?" They parted and Annie headed back to her car.

God, how she wished that her words would be enough to stop Joan from becoming a shell of her former self.

But, God, how she doubted it.


	6. Chapter 6

"Miss Walker," Henry flashed an ugly grin at her as she took her seat in the aisle beside his. She was relieved that she wasn't sitting right next to him as she had first feared but still. She was still close enough to hear the windbag breathe. "Long time no see."

"Henry." Annie muttered back. To the day that she would die, she would always regret that meeting with Henry Wilcox in that diner when he handed her that file that changed everything. It may have only been a month back, but she wasn't that naïve to make such a rookie mistake anymore. At least she hoped to God that she wasn't. "I see that I'm on babysitting duties for the next week."

He snorted. "Sure. You call sitting in first class, being put up in a five star hotel and visiting a historic city like Edinburgh "babysitting"? Then sure. That's what it is. Other people would call it the experience of a lifetime."

Annie called it punishment even though she couldn't recall putting a foot wrong. "Listen," even though there were no fellow passengers around yet, she still felt the need to quieten her voice. Force of habit. "Let's put one thing straight. I don't trust you – I never have and I never will. Every time you show your face something bad happens. You are not someone that I care about, Henry. If push comes to shove, I will not take a bullet for your fat little ass, OK?"

The arrogant bastard chuckled in her face. "Charming, Miss Walker. And believe me when I say that the feelings are mutual."

"Then why the hell did you personally select me to hold your hand, huh?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "You're one of the few people in that hellhole that I know wouldn't shoot me in the back."

She nodded and smiled. "Yeah, that's true. I'd at least have the decency to look you in your eyes when I put you down, you bastard."

"Harsh, Miss Walker."

"Is it?" Annie finally took her seat, a move that put enough distance between them, so that she didn't hit him. "After all that you've done, you really think that it's "harsh"? Believe me, Henry, when I say that that would be the easiest way out for you. I'd rather see you rot than get a quick and relatively painless way out."

"That's nice to know." He folded the paper on his lap, glancing down at it as he spoke. "How are Arthur and Joan, anyway?"

Annie balled her fists, feeling her nails dig into her palms. He was testing her. She knew better than to rise to the bait. "They're good. They love each other and they have a kid. They're happy."

"Really?" He scoffed. "I'm surprised at that. I mean after everything…I hear Arthur is resigning and Joannie? Well…"

Annie shook her head, a smile appearing on her lips as she laughed at the pathetic depths the man was sinking to. "As I said, they're happy but I get it. Happiness is something you're unfamiliar with, huh?" She was tempted to bring up Jai but her own goodness stopped herself. Jai Wilcox was nothing like his father. Jai was a decent human being and Annie couldn't sink to Henry's depths. "You know this whole deal between us? Me "protecting you" for the next week? I think it'll benefit both of us if we keep our distance and our mouths shut."

Again, the man just shrugged his shoulders, barely even listening. "Fine by me. I've got more important things to worry about than you and the Campbells."

Annie sighed and slumped back into her chair, closing her eyes. The saddest part of Henry's whole charade was trying to convince her that she and Arthur and Joan were the last things on his mind when truth be told, they're probably were the only things on his mind. Further proof that Henry was a sad old man, hell bent on winning this whole battle that he had created.

And for the next few days, Annie had to be his ally.

That was if she could make it through this flight without throwing him headfirst through a window.

# # #

"Hey, how long have you been up?" Arthur called across to his wife as he padded across the living room to place a kiss on her cheek. The poor thing looked exhausted.

"Not long," she lied. It was always difficult to lie to a spy, never mind to your husband of so many years. "Couldn't sleep."

"You OK after yesterday? You kinda freaked me out back at Langley." The way she took a turn for the worse did actually really freak him out. But as much as he loved her for what she was – her famed stubbornness included – it annoyed him that he wasn't going to get a straight answer from her.

She didn't disappoint. "No, I feel better," she said, clearly holding a little back. He did empathise, he really did. She was taking on two challenges – becoming a mother and recovering from nearly dying- and even Joan Campbell couldn't sail through it that easily. Especially when she refused to follow doctor's orders like she was hell bent on doing. But hey. That was Joan Campbell after all. "Thank you for asking, Arthur. Thank you for being there."

He smiled. "It kinda comes with the territory of being the best husband in the world."

"Oh yeah?" She picked at a cuticle. "I don't recall that guy being there for me."

The way she smiled was a much needed relief to him and it made him smile. "Charming, honey. Just charming. Annie's fast asleep right now, so I can spoil you with all my love and attention on you until she wakes up."

She frowned. "So what, you'll do anything that I ask?"

"Within given bounds, yes. Since as of today, I am no longer an agency man. I am Arthur Campbell, husband and father extraordinaire," he exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her neck. "If you want, I can pop down to the store, get some food in and I'll cook for us tonight. How does that sound?"

"I really don't deserve you, you know that?"

He nuzzled her neck. "No…I don't deserve you."

She placed a hand on his arm. "Arthur, I…"

"Yes honey?" The way that her tone had turned on the turn of a dime had caused those lingering feelings of worry about her to spike again.

"Nothing…I…" Again, she tailed off.

"Are you sure?" It certainly didn't seem like nothing. That tone, the point she was about to move onto, didn't seem like a throwaway comment. "Sweetie, are you sure that you're OK? You can be honest with me. I will never judge you, I promise."

He saw the way tears began to build in her eyes and he quickly came around to let her pull him into a hug. "Joan…" Again, this did not feel like her. Seeing her like this, stripped of all her armour was the most painful thing he'd ever had to witness. The tears that soaked through his shirt burned his skin. "Hey…it's OK…it's OK, I've got you." But he only wished he could make whatever was wrong OK. If she would ever tell him.

"I love you Arthur…just, whatever happens, know that I love you."

He found himself shushing her like he did to his daughter. She seemed to be talking in riddles and there was only one thing that he did understand. How she felt about him and how he felt about her. "I love you too, sweetie."

# # #

"So what's it like in the land of Braveheart?"

Annie could just picture her boyfriend leaning back in his ridiculously oversized leather office chair, his arms behind his head as he asked that question with a cheeky grin. "A little cold…but boy, is this such a beautiful place to visit? The architecture, the landscape, the people…you know, we should come here together some day."

"It might have escaped your notice, Walker, but I'm not so sure that I could appreciate Edinburgh's beautiful scenery in the same way that you can. Although, if I'm with you, I could at least pretend I can…just like I do when I have to listen to some of that nonsense that you call, and I quote, "good music.""

"Funny, Auggie. And hey! I like to think that I listen to good music thank you very much."

"And I beg to differ."

She shook her head, a smile on her face. She fell backwards on the king-size that would sure feel empty without her special guy. "I wish you were here."

"Me too. But hey, you've got some stellar company to keep you happy on your travels."

"Urgh, don't remind me. You don't know how close I came to finally putting those parachuting drills back at The Farm to good use during that flight. Man, I don't think I've ever met someone who loves himself as much as Henry Wilcox. And talks a lot of crap. And snores…really badly. Not that I care for that son of a bitch's health but I really think that he needs to see a specialist."

"Kept you awake, huh?"

"You think?" She rolled her eyes. "Auggie, this feels strange."

"What does?"

"Everything about this mission. First of all, you're not my handler, I can't call Joan for help and I can't even reach out to Arthur. All I've got to lean back on is that jerk Murdoch and I don't trust him and I don't trust Wilcox. The hell am I supposed to do?"

"You'll get through this, Annie." Auggie's voice was laced with utmost confidence in her. And it gave her confidence. "Trust me; it'll be over before you know it."

"Yeah, I wish…it's just that…I don't know. It's everything happening all at once and it's-." She paused as she heard a rap at her door. She couldn't recall calling room service. "It's all too much," she jammed the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she fumbled with the lock. "It's weird, I'd much rather have you by my side."

She heard him laugh. "Me too but we all know that that's not going to happen."

"Yeah tell me about it. Can you wait a sec?" She asked as she opened the door. Standing face to face with the man standing there almost made her drop the phone to the ground.


	7. Chapter 7

**First of all, I'd just like to thank ALL of you that have read this fic and taken the time to leave such wonderful comments. All the kind words and support that I receive on this site is second to none and I feel so thankful to have people reading my work.**

**However, this also makes it hard for me to inform you that I am placing this fic on a hiatus for some time.**

**I've not updated "Family" for a while and have been concentrating more on my other fics. This is down to the fact that it has become increasingly more difficult for me to write this and the plot has been extremely difficult for me to think about how to write this.**

**I feel that you deserve to read something that I am fairly happy with, rather than something that I am not.**

**I may come back to this at a later point but I do not know for certain.**

**Thank you for all your support and, again, sorry for discontinuing this fic.**

**Caitlin.**


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